JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum 10 or 20 Most Influential Artists/Writers on YOUR career?

In no particular order:

Gordon Lightfoot. His songs, music, and singing spoke to me as a young musician. I still warm up my fingerpicking with his Song for a Winter's Night. Lightfoot's bass players John Stockfish and Richard Haynes have provided me with a model of how to accompany fingerpickers.

Robert Johnson. In a few short years, he put together a body of work that would change music. His guitar playing influenced everyone from Clapton on. His songs such as Sweet Home Chicago and Dust My Broom still knock me out. I have a cd of his entire work near my stereo at all times.

Steve Goodman. I first heard Steve at the Twelfth of Never coffeehouse long before he became famous. As a young fingerpicker, his flatpick guitar style mesmerised me. Steve's singing had a "cry" to it that still gives me chills. When my band Redhead had our record release party, Steve came in and played telecaster all night long. His debillitating illness never diminished his personality. He is sorely missed. You can find his website by doing a search for Chicago Shorty.

Richard Dobson. Richard is a Texas songwriter in the Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark mold. He currently resides in Switzerland where he records for Brambus Records. Richard's songs include some of my favorite country tunes ever. Nanci Griffith calls him the "Hemingway of Country Music."

Carole King. Her "Tapestry" album showed me what songwriting could be.

The Beatles. There's nothing more to say here.

Jerry Garcia. I must have been a Grateful Dead fan, because I have their T shirts and some old concert tickets. In the seventies, I played with a band called Above the Storm that did a lot of Dead. Jerry could be sophisticated, rootsy, elegant, and sloppy all in one measure.

Hank Williams.

Henry Strzelecki. Henry was Chet Atkins' bassist for fifteen years. He was Nashville's first A Team electric bassist, after Bob Moore on the upright. Henry recorded with George Jones, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan (that's Henry playing the B-3 bass pedals with his hands on Rainy Day Woman # 12 and 35), Tammy Wynette, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, David Allan Coe, Gordon Lightfoot, and several other wannabes. He's a great guy and is still active in the Nashville Union.

Nanci Griffith. Nanci can write an amazing song like Love at the Five and Dime. She puts together wonderful bands. Her career has a huge devoted underground following. The stuff she did with the Chieftains is stunning.

Harlan Howard. Do you think it ends when you wrote the song? Several years ago, I played with a band called White Crow. We were produced by Chuck Glaser (of the Glaser Brothers) and Harlan pitched some songs for us. We picked one called Never Mind. Harlan came out to our rehearsal to help us learn it. He contacted people to come to our showcase at the Bluebird and he attended and worked the crowd while we played. When we split up, he pitched the song to Nanci Griffith and started all over again until she cut it and it was released. Mr. Songwriter knew his stuff.

James Jamerson. He was the session bass player for Motown Records. Mr. Jamerson's playing defined the song. The horn players took their cues from him. To me, he was the perfect bass player.

Red, White, and Blue(grass). They were one of the first "newgrass" bands. Their three albums include Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, and Byron Berline. They were the first major bluegrass band to include a drummer (was that ever shocking to the bluegrass crowd!) I joined them for their last year and a half...I guess I killed them off.

John Prine. John started a whole style of songwriting. His wit and charm sometimes hides his amazing depth. He can write a hit for radio or for his underground following. I've gotten to play with him a bit, his guitar picking is as solid as a rock.

Jim Post. As a teenager, I used to open the show at It's Here Coffeehouse for Jim and his wife Cathy. They were called Friend and Lover, and they had a top ten hit Reach Out of the Darkness. Jim as a single act was the biggest draw at Amazing Grace Coffeehouse, a rather large venue in Evanston, Illinois, he drew more than Steve Goodman, John Prine, Odetta, or Asleep at the Wheel. Jim is currently doing a one man show as Mark Twain. He's one of the most amazing showmen I've ever seen.

Razzy Bailey. Razz has had over a dozen number one hits. He was Billboard's Country Entertainer of the Year. He's in the Alabama Hall of Fame. Razzy never quits learning and expanding. He writes continually and demos more songs than anyone I know. His voice is amazing, he reminds me of a cross between Ray Charles and Englebert Humperdink. He can sing country, rock, R&B, and blues. Razzy is one of Willie Nelson's favorite singers. I'm proud to work with him.

Ray Price. There's a country music style called a Ray Price shuffle. It's a 4x4 swing. Ray's voice was and is an amazing instrument. Smooth and expressive, he makes you feel what he's feeling. His band included people like Willie Nelson, Jack Greene, Johnny Bush, and Roger Miller. He's a legend in Texas. In the eighties, Henry Strzelecki asked me to sub for him in Ray's band and I turned it down. It's one of my big regrets.

Bob Gibson. Bob would have been one of the biggest folk stars if it weren't for drugs. He discovered Judy Collins. Bob's manager, Albert Grossman, put him together with Hamilton Camp and they recorded Gibson and Camp at the Gate of Horn. The Gate was Grossman's folk club in Chicago. Their record became an important milestone in the folk boom. Grossman tried to get them to add a female singer for a trio, but Bob and Hamilton balked at the idea. Grossman went to New York and found a trio of two men and a woman that was what he was looking for...Peter, Paul, and Mary. In the seventies, Bob and I were on the same record label. I was honored to get to know him and pick with him. Bob probably did more than anyone to popularize the twelve string guitar. He's gone now, what a loss.

Otis Blackwell. Otis wrote Great Balls of Fire, Fever, Handyman, Return to Sender, All Shook Up, and a dozen more rock standards. He was a victim of racism, many of his songs were practically stolen from him. Cheap Trick recorded Great Balls of Fire and insisted that the publishing company give them half of the publishing. They turned around and gave it to Otis. I got to play some with him before his death. I've got a number chart of Handyman with his autograph framed on the wall of my studio.

Doc Watson. Doc's guitar work is to bluegrass and acoustic country what Louis Armstrong is to jazz. Doc plays with all the speed and accuracy of any of the greats, but he also has incredible feel and playfullness.

Joni Mitchell. Joni's songwriting and singing set a standard that few have approached. As a bassist, I love her work with Jaco Pastorius and Charles Mingus. Joni bridged folk, jazz, pop, and rock. Like Prine, she has her own style of songwriting.

Others would include: Jimmy Buffett, Townes Van Zandt, Robert Shumann, Cole Porter, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, Big Bill Broonzy, Win Stracke, Johnny Bush, Bonnie Raitt, Mick Jagger, Phil Ochs, Merle Haggard, Roy Buchannon, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan, Ian Tyson, Sylvia Fricker, Jerry Jeff Walker, Pat Mc Laughlin, Donna Fargo, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Allen, Duke Ellington, Lowell George, Ray Charles...I could go on for days.

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Mike Dunbar Music

[This message has been edited by Mike Dunbar (edited 04-15-2004).]